The Extent of Smoke Damage to Napa Valley's 2020 Vintage Remains Unclear
  • 3 years ago
When wildfires once again tore through the Napa Valley this year, the immediate concern was lives.But once that difficult work was done, uncertainty for vineyards quickly set in.Even for vineyards that escaped damage, the resulting smoke put grapes throughout the entire region at risk of smoke taint.And so, though wine from the 2020 vintage will be released, how much and by how many wineries is still to be seen.Preliminary estimates suggest that at least 80% of wineries in the area plan to proceed with a 2020 vintage.It's [winemakers] job to take what mother nature gives and turn it into wine, and in some cases make critical decisions about whether that wine meets the quality standards of their brand and our region. The 2020 vintage, while challenging, is not lost, Connor Best, Napa Valley Vintners, Head of International Marketing
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